[Evaluation of patients' knowledge regarding counsels provided in case of chest pain after an acute myocardial infarction].
BACKGROUND
an early call to the department of urgent medical assistance--Center 15 (SAMU-centre 15) is associated to shortest delays of reperfusion in case of myocardial infarction. However, patients are not always aware of this.


OBJECTIVE
to assess the assimilated counsels by patients after an acute myocardial infarction.


METHODS
from January 1998 to June 2004, patients managed by SAMU 93 and having benefited from thrombolytic therapy prior to hospitalization and/or primary angioplasty for a ST+ acute coronary syndrome with a confirmation of acute myocardial infarction during their hospital stay were prospectively enrolled into this study. A questionnaire was administered by phone from december 2003 to july 2005, assessing the knowledge about the necessity to alert SAMU-center 15 in case of chest pain and availability of medical files data.


RESULTS
among the 976 patients: 111 (11%) were lost during follow-up, 162 (19%) were deceased when phone contact and 119 (12%) could not be interrogated. Among the 584 (60%) remaining subjects interrogated with a median follow-up period of 985 days (413-1596), 290 (50%) patients answered they received counseling, including 156 (27%) for taking nitrates, 19 (29%) stated they know that they should call SAMU-center 15. Patients with a high level of education and those treated by thrombolytic therapy prior to hospitalization were better informed; 464 (79%) patients declared having a prescription, 392 (67%) a hospital report, 406 (69%) an electrocardiogram, 227 (39%) a CD with their coronary angiography, and 79(14%) their medical file.


CONCLUSIONS
the level of knowledge regarding the recommended attitude in case of chest pain is poor. The availability of medical data was better. Arch Mal Cceur
Lapostolle
F
F
SAMU 93, hôpital Avicenne, Bobigny. frederic.lapostolle@avc.ap-hop-paris.fr
Ameur
L
L
Gonzalez
G
G
Lenoir
G
G
Cattan
S
S
Hennequin
B
B
Beruben
A
A
Chassery
C
C
Lapandry
C
C
Adnet
F
F
D000208:Acute Disease; D015906:Angioplasty, Balloon, Coronary; D001294:Attitude to Health; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D015425:Myocardial Reperfusion / Q000523:psychology*; D010361:Patients / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013689:Telephone; D015912:Thrombolytic Therapy